[1) It is THURSDAY, AUGUST 23. New blogpost coming later this morning. 2) TANNEHILL NAMED STARTER: LATEST VIDEO! Watch our "The View From Miami" mini-commentaries on our new video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote. Latest is on rookie Ryan Tannehill being named Dolphins starting QB, a TVFM record-setter for most views. (Thank you). (I say in the vid that Miami's last Super Bowl win was 1972. Oops. Of course I know it was '73). 3) Showtime pulled the plug a week early on "The Franchise" reality show starring the Marlins. Finale episode aired last night, not Aug. 29 as first planned. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

UPSET BIRD COUNTDOWN: 15 DAYS: The Upset Bird and I kick off our season of Friday NFL prediction pages Sept. 7, and began a 21-day countdown that each day is honoring notable birds. Following the NBA great Larry Bird, today we welcome the influential jazz saxophonist who died in 1955, Charlie "Bird" Parker.

RYAN TANNEHILL NAMED DOLPHINS STARTING QB: It begins. The Ryan Tannehill era in Miami. The rookie takes over as starting quarterback beginning this Friday night in preseason game No. 3 vs. Atlanta and will open the season as the starter. It was announced mid-afternoon yesterday by coach Joe Philbin, and it is welcome news -- the right decision. Also it is a decision [Brag Alert!] that I have been advocating since the first day of training camp, the first and one of few in the media to do so. Click on The Right Decision for my new column, now online and in today's/Tuesday's pulp editions. Click HERE to listen to Philbin's press conference explaining the choice.

DOLPHINS HAVE 8TH-LONGEST ODDS TO MAKE PLAYOFFS: Bovada issues odds for each NFL team making the playoffs and the Dolphins -- at yes/plus-350 -- are tied with Arizona for the eighth-longest odds. The most likely playoff teams are seen as the Patriots at yes/minus-900 and the Packers and Texans both at yes/minus-600. The seven teams given even longer odds than Miami are the Redskins +450, Buccaneers +500, Rams +600, Colts and Jaguars both +700, Vikings +800 and Browns +1,000.

AN OPEN LETTER TO HANK WILLIAMS JR.: "Dear Bocephus: You lost me, hoss. I have been a huge fan of your music since the '70s. I still think Whiskey Bent & Hell Bound is one of the great country songs of all time. You didn't lose me because of your music. You lost me because of the man you've become. Because of the hatred. You shouted to a crowd at the Iowa State Fair: "We've got a Muslim president who hates farming, hates the military, hates the U.S. and we hate him!" One of the lyrics on your lates album is, "Hey Barack, pack your bags, head to Chicago, take your teleprompter with you so you'll know where to go." Almost forgot. Last year you compared Obama to Hitler. Enough. This is hate-mongering, inciteful, and by my view un-American. Most of all, perhaps, it is just so damned disrespectful. You have every right to think it, and say it. I have every right to consider myself a disappointed former fan."

AUGUSTA NATIONAL DESERVES NO CONGRATULATIONS: The venerable home course of The Masters golf tournament has (finally) been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, admitting its first female members, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina banking executive Darla Moore. Years of public pressure and protests led to Augusta to at last act. Some might say congratulations are in order and heap the club and its directors with profound credit. I'd leave it at, "It's about damned time," and move on.

GIANCARLO STANTON: THE REASON TO STILL WATCH: The 2012 Marlins are almost unbearably sad. The dubious fight to catch up to .500 seems lost. The season cannot end soon enough, but for one reason: Giancarlo Stanton's at-bats. Despite missing a chunk of season injured Stanton (pictured) has become the 32nd Marlin in 20 seasons to hit 24 or more home runs -- he hit his 25th and 26th Monday night -- and among those we present the top five HR-per-at bat ratios, updated through Monday's game. Conclusion: Call Mike Jacobs an aberration. Stanton ranks second for now only to Gary Sheffield among the most dangerous home run hitters in club history:

11.93 Gary Sheffield, 1994 (27/322)

12.36 Sheffield, 1996 (42/519)

12.81 Giancarlo Stanton, 2012 (26/333)

14.91 Mike Jacobs, 2008 (32/477)

15.18 Stanton, 2011 (34/516)

ON MELKY CABRERA: Cabrera, of course, is the San Francisco Giant suspended 50 games for a failed drug test in the stretch run of a possible NL MVP season for him. It is a sad reminder MLB is not yet fully past its steroids era, and that stars are still liable to be swept up in the net. Cabrera's shame is compounded by the news he cooked up a bizzare alibi for himself, creating a fake website selling fake cream that he supposedly bought and used unaware of its illegal contents.That's rich! Here's what else should happen to Melky: 1) The All-Star Game MVP he recently won should be vacated and the trophy ordered returned. 2) He should be ineligible for league MVP votes. 3) He should be ineligible to win the NL batting title for which he currently stands second.